Announcement expected on FLP leadership and future today

The Fiji Labour Party is expected to make an announcement today on its party leadership and the future of the FLP after Mahendra Chaudhry’s sentencing last Friday.

Chaudhry cannot contest the September 17th election this year as his conviction remains after he was found guilty of three counts of breach of the Exchange Control Act and sentenced by Justice Paul Madigan.

The 2013 constitution clearly states that a person may be a candidate for election to parliament only if the person has not, at any time during the eight years immediately before being nominated, been convicted of any offence under any law for which the maximum penalty is a term of imprisonment of 12 months or more.

The same is stated in the Electoral Decree for candidate eligibility.

This means that 72-year-old Chaudhry is out of the parliamentary elections for the next eight years as he has been convicted of three counts of breach of the Exchange Control Act.

Under the Political Parties Registration Decree, a person is disqualified from being an office holder of a political party if that person has, in the five years preceding the date when he or she applies to become an office holder of the political party, has been convicted of an offence and sentenced to imprisonment for a period of not less than 6 months.

Chaudhry and FLP President Lavinia Padarath have said that a statement will be issued later today.

When questioned by Fijivillage on Chaudhry not contesting the elections, Chaudhry said that it is early days at this stage and he will not say anything on it for now.

Story by: Vijay Narayan